Data path processing

Abstract

An intermediate device receives a content data message addressed to a receiving device for a communication session between a source device and the receiving device. The intermediate device substitutes adapted content data for content data of the content data message and then sends the adapted content data to the receiving device such that it appears to the receiving device that the adapted content data originated from the source device. The communication from the source device to the receiving device is intercepted by the intermediate device in a manner that is transparent to the source device and receiving device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 483,492 entitled “Data Path Processing” to Michael Fox, Karl Gierach, Faisal Mushtaq filed May 6, 2011. Priority of the filing date of May 6, 2011 is hereby claimed, and the disclosure of the Provisional Patent Application is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to data communications and, more particularly, to managing download of data for multimedia, video, and / or audio streams.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Video streaming has become more and more popular. In video streaming, a client machine (such as a desktop or laptop computer or a Web-enabled mobile phone) receives a video stream from a video source over a network connection. The video stream generally includes video format data comprising graphic or image data as well as audio data. The ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a device that can intercept and modify content data between two devices in a communication session. This is done in a way that preserves the normal functioning of the devices and allows for seamless processing of the original content. The device can also change its mode of operation between a bridge mode and a divert mode. The technical effect of this invention is improved security and control over data exchanged between devices during communication sessions.

Problems solved by technology

There has been tremendous demand for video viewing on the Internet and that viewing demand has in turn increased demands on wireless network resources due to ubiquitous coverage and mobile users consuming video seemingly everywhere service is available.

Unfortunately, the popularity of video streaming sometimes causes overloading of some bandwidth-limited networks, especially radio frequency (RF) wireless networks such as, for example, cellular telephone networks, WiFi networks, satellite networks, and the like.

Due to factors such as network congestion, traffic load balancing, switch memory overflow, physical link layer loss, or other unpredictable network behavior, IP packets can be lost, duplicated, or delivered out of order at the receiving client.

These add to processing operations at the client and can result in choppy video on playback.

TCP is optimized for accurate delivery rather than for timely delivery, and therefore, TCP processing sometimes incurs relatively long delays (on the order of seconds) while waiting for out-of-order messages or retransmissions of lost messages.

For viewing video streams, delays in the reception of packets could underflow the video player at the client, resulting in stalled or choppy playback.

Wireless network links are known to experience sporadic and usually temporary losses due to communication artifacts such as fading, shadowing, hand-off, and other radio effects.

These effects cannot be considered as being due to network congestion, but nevertheless, TCP may react to such losses with network back-off operations designed to combat congestion.

This congestion avoidance phase can cause the wireless radio link to be underutilized, causing unnecessary reduced throughput.

Progressive download results in an aggressive (as fast as possible) download of video from the HTTP server over the network.

This is another source of inefficient use of a network when a user selects a video for download, watches a short portion of the video, and then stops watching the video.

This wastes valuable network bandwidth and resources.

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